The European business community views Azerbaijan as a more reliable transport corridor that can become an alternative to other transit routes connecting Europe and Asia, Aytan Akhundova, head of the drafting group for the "EU Business Climate Report: Azerbaijan 2025/2026," stated during a Q&A session at the EU-Azerbaijan Business Forum in Baku, Report informs.
"A key factor attracting companies is Azerbaijan's location at the crossroads of continents - a point considered a safer corridor between Europe and Asia, capable of replacing routes passing through Russia and other states. Even though the Middle Corridor is not yet fully operational and cargo delivery along it takes more time compared to alternative routes, European companies still view it as a reliable and safe alternative," Akhundova noted.
As the expert emphasized, the growing interest in the Middle Corridor helps attract a significant number of international and local partners to the region's logistics sector. At the same time, she drew attention to the existence of a number of constraining factors and infrastructural difficulties. In particular, the main challenges include a shortage of financial resources and the uneven development of individual sections of the route.
"Assessing the current situation in terms of the adequacy of resources and infrastructure, they are not yet fully present, and a significant amount of work still lies ahead. For example, digitalization is already being implemented quite actively, and the border crossing between Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan is being modernized; however, a certain lag is currently recorded on the Georgian section," she clarified.
Meanwhile, Akhundova pointed out that the European Union has significantly strengthened cooperation with countries located along the corridor, as well as the coordination of logistics processes.
"All this serves as a significant signal to businesses about the presence of serious prospects. Despite the existing difficulties, European companies recognize the strategic potential of the region and continue to expand their presence in Azerbaijan," the expert concluded.